This is the second in a series of 2017-18 Rangers’ players/coaches evaluations, where we'll break down the season of each player and coach on the roster and look ahead to his role with the team next year.

Is the “sophomore slump” real or is it myth? It seems to happen all the time with NHL players, especially it seems, defensemen, who have a strong rookie season, then take a step backward in their second season.

Whether it’s a matter of expectation by the player himself or by others, the quest to take his game to the next level often results in a ride in the other direction.

Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei hit the sophomore slump, or whatever you want to call it, in 2017-18. Simple as that.

Skjei opened eyes in 2016-17 when, as a rookie with seven prior games and one playoff series on his resume, he became an NHL regular and stared at a future that was (and still is) bright.